This invention relates to specific fragrance compositions and specific hydro-alcohol compositions of matter. The hydro-alcohol compositions of matter when used in their proper environments, have aromas with good initial strengths which aromas are controllably released (under the normal conditions of use of the hydro-alcohol compositions of matter and under the condition of mixing with a consumable liquid, e.g., ethanol or water or combinations thereof) at a consistently high level over an extended period of time. This invention is also specially adapted for the creation of hydro-alcohol compositions of matter (e.g., colognes, after-shave lotions and after-bath splashes) which give rise to "bursts" of different fragrances from a qualitative standpoint at controllable time intervals over controllable periods of time.
There has been considerable work performed relating to fragrance substances which have a fragrance impact both initially and over an extended period of time during the consumption of the consumable material in which the fragrance is located. Problems have arisen in attempting to create such fragrance compositions for use with hydro-alcohol compositions of matter such as colognes, wherein part of the fragrance is available for immediate results whereas another part of the fragrance provides the effect gradually over extended periods of time; and further, in different manners in different controllable periods of time. Such problems include the continuous distribution of "initial impact" and "extended release" fragrance over the entire mass of the hydro-alcohol composition of matter (e.g., cologne) as well as commercial manufacture of same.
In a somewhat analogous manner, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,473, 4,259,355, 4,001,438 and 3,920,849 have presented solutions to such problems where other consumable materials are concerned, e.g., smoking tobacco, hot beverages, and chewing gums. Thus, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,849, are orally utilizable compositions which may be either chewing gum compositions, chewable medicinal tablets, chewing tobacco or toothpaste having, on oral intake, a high flavor intensity release evenly and uniformly over an extended oral utilization time in the mouth cavity; the orally utilizable compositions containing a non-confined flavor oil, a flavor oil which is physically entrapped in solid particles and a suspending agent such as silica, xanthan gum, ethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl cellulose; the non-confined flavor oil, the entrapped flavor oil and the suspension agent being premixed prior to addition to either the chewing gum base, the chewing tobacco, the chewable medicinal tablet base, the toothpaste base, the smoking tobacco or the hot beverage. Neither U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,473, 4,259,355, 3,920,849 nor 4,001,438 discloses the use of such material for fragrancing colognes which are consumed during the standard use of such colognes, e.g., as "after-shave lotions" or standard "after-bath" colognes.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,526,039 teaches that if an essential oil or flavoring is combined with a chewing gum base in a finely divided condition, and the particles of the flavoring or oil are encased in a suitable covering so as not to contact the gum directly during manufacture, the deleterious effect of the flavoring on the gum is prevented or largely reduced. It is further stated therein that:
"When the emulsion is added to the gum base, it is thoroughly mixed therewith by the usual means employed for mixing the flavoring material with such base. PA1 "The production of the emulsion serves to break up the essential oil into fine particles and to encase these particles in the emulsifying material, so that when the emulsion is added to the gum mass, the essential oil to a large degree is prevented from coming into direct contact with the base, and from having deleterious action thereon." PA1 "It is now possible to obtain a flavoring composition, particularly adapted for use in chewing gum which permits attainment of a product characterized by extended flavor perception time, true flavor character, and release of a large proportion of flavoring agent. This flavoring composition comprises finely divided particles of a dried hardened gelatin emulsion containing discrete micro-droplets of a volatile, water-immiscible flavoring agent. Preparation of the flavoring composition of this invention may be effected by encapsulating discrete micro-droplets of volatile, water-immiscible flavoring agent within finely divided particles of a dried emulsion of hardened gelatin." PA1 "A chewing gum containing a flavoring composition characterized by an extended flavor perception time, true flavor character, controlled release of a large portion of flavoring agent, and reduction in amount of flavor oil required (which) may be prepared by the process comprising forming a gelatin-coacervated flavor, and substantially uniformly distributing said gelatin-coacervated flavor within an all-enveloping mass of a chewable gum base. The product chewing gum . . . comprises . . . finely divided particles of coacervated gelatin containing a water-immiscible flavoring agent therewithin and an all-enveloping mass of a chewing gum base within which the particles are substantially distributed." PA1 a. Hercules/Klucel.RTM./hydroxypropyl cellulose published by Hercules Incorporated of Wilmington, Del.; PA1 b. Klug, Vol. 24, No. 51, Food Technology, January, 1970, page 51 entitled "Functional Helpmate to Development . . . Hydroxypropyl Cellulose/a New Water Soluble Cellulose Polymer"; and PA1 c. U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,521, issued on Oct. 11, 1966 entitled: "Hydroxypropyl Cellulose and Process"/Inventor: Klug. PA1 a. Miles et al, J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 22, 655-666 (Sept. 17, 1971) ["Encapsulated Perfumes in Aerosol Products"] PA1 b. Brenner et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,852 issued July 27, 1976 (Process of Encapsulating an Oil and Product Produced Thereby).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,440 teaches a method of preparing a chewing gum characterized by "extended flavor perception time, true flavor character, and high degree of flavor release comprising the steps of forming a spray-dried emulsion of a volatile, water-immiscible flavoring agent encapsulated within finely divided particles of gelatin, and substantially uniformly distributing said gelatin encapsulated flavoring agent within an all-enveloping mass of a chewable gum base."
The use of separate "fixed" and "unfixed" fragrance portions is also taught but there is no disclosure therein of the principle of this invention, to wit: mixing the fixed and unfixed fragrance portions with a suspension agent prior to either (i) adding to a standard cologne or after shave composition prior to use thereof or (ii) adding to a dry cologne mix formulation prior to addition of liquid thereto immediately prior to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,446 teaches a chewing gum comprising (1) smaller particles of gelatin characterized by faster liberation of flavor and (ii) larger particles of gelatin characterized by slower liberation of flavor, each of the gelatin particles containing dispersed therewithin, in dried emulsion form, discrete micro-droplets of a volatile water-immiscible flavoring agent, and an all-enveloping mass of a chewable gum base within which the particles are substantially uniformly distributed whereby the flavor is released substantially evenly and uniformly over the extended chewing time.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,445 teaches that:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,449 teaches:
The utilization of sustained release flavor containing capsules in such materials as chewing gum and medicinal tablets is also taught in British Pat. No. 1,205,764.
The use of sustained release flavor capsules in conjunction with polyethylene glycols (which are taught to be employed to desolventize the capsules) is set forth in British Pat. No. 1,318,799.
The use of hydroxypropyl cellulose contained in microcapsules especially for pressure sensitive copying paper is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. J7 9000 426 claiming a priority of U.S. Application Ser. No. 480,956 filed on June 19, 1974 and assigned to the Mead Corporation. In said Japanese Patent No. J7 9000 426, it is indicated that oil-containing microcapsules especially for pressure sensitive copying paper are prepared by (a) preparing an aqueous solution of hydroxypropyl cellulose containing reactive hydroxyl groups and having a decreasing water solubility as the temperature increases; (b) then preparing a solution of an oil soluble cross-linking agent for the hydroxypropyl cellulose in an oil; then emulsifying the oil solution in the aqueous solution to form an emulsion containing droplets of the oil solution; (c) then heating the emulsion to a temperature above the precipitation temperature of the hydroxypropyl cellulose so that hydroxypropyl cellulose precipitates over the droplets to form solid microcapsule walls and (d) finally maintaining the emulsion at this temperature until the microcapsule walls become insoluble in water and in the oil. Nothing in the Japanese Patent No. J7 9000 426 discloses the creation of a cologne composition or a powdered cologne composition wherein the fragrance thereof is controllably released during the use activity at a consistently high level over an extended period of time.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,489, the formation of a shredded tobacco material having intimately admixed therewith a micro-encapsulated synthetic clove flavoring material (wherein the capsules are of such a size as to create an audible crackling sound when burned) and the incorporation thereof into smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars is disclosed. It is further disclosed that these capsules may also contain a tobacco flavor enhancer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,730 issued on Aug. 21, 1973 discloses processes for altering the flavors of particulate grain products comprising applying a composition comprising a flavoring agent, an edible cold water insoluble film former and a vehicle to a particulate grain product; drying the distributed composition to form a flavor containing film on the grain product; and then optionally distributing the coated flavored grain through a large mass of uncoated grain particles.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,826,042 published on Jan. 4, 1979 discloses a condiment consisting of a lemon flavored salt prepared by mixing salt and a lemon oil powder and spraying the resulting mixture with lemon oil. More particularly, the salt is admixed with (a) from 0.1 up to 0.5 weight percent of salt of a terpene-free lemon oil bonded to a powdery carrier and (b) terpene-free liquid lemon oil. The condiment is prepared by mixing the dry salt with component (a), spraying the mixture with component (b) and mixing through a screw conveyor.
Hydroxypropyl cellulose itself is described in particular in three publications:
However, the prior art does not set forth commercially feasible processes for creating cologne compositions containing an aromatizing composition which provides instantaneous evenly distributed aroma release, extended, continuous, non-interrupted fragrance perception time periods and, at the same time, provides during the cologne use activity, extended constant fragrance impact which is provided by our invention.
The use of "spray dried fragrances" is not, however, new to the art. "Spray dried fragrances" are known as taught in the following prior art:
The Miles et al article discloses an apparently stable spray dried encapsulated fragrance which may be formulated into aerosols. It is indicated that when sprayed on a surface under both in vivo and in vitro conditions gradually release fragrance upon exposure to moisture. It is further shown by Miles et al that the release rate can be varied according to the liquid vehicle and that it varies with the individual test subject and to the stimuli to which he or she is exposed.
The Brenner et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,852 discloses interalia perfume compositions, preferably in particulate form, comprising a cellular matrix having oil in the cells thereof in which the matrix comprises a polysaccharide and a polyhydroxy compound in such proportions that the oil may constitute up to 80% by volume so stably held in the cells that the extractable oil is not substantially in excess of 5%. The polysaccharides are indicated to be natural gums such as gum arabic, starch derivatives and dextrinized and hydrolyzed starches. It is further indicated that the polyhydroxy compounds may be alcohols, lactones, monoethers, plant-type sugars and acetals.
Nothing in either of the Brenner et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,852 or the Miles et al article infers the concept of our invention.